Mop swab and method of producing the same

ABSTRACT

A mop swab which includes a plurality of absorbent mop cords arranged in a plurality of vertically extending, parallel rows substantially centrally of the length of the swab and secured together by strip material positioned between the adjacent rows of cords and adhered thereto.

Get. 9, 1973 United States Patent 1191 Moss [54] MOP SWAB AND METHOD OF PRODUCING 2,035,130 3/1936 K1awans.. 2,310,186 2/1943 XX 5 n2 0 05 1 Abrams...

THE SAME Chazal [76] Inventor: Theron V. Moss, 3175 Falmouth 12/1970 Casadeval Shaker Heights. hio 44122 1,357,917 11/1920 Wandel.... June 21, 1971 ,512,203

Appl. N0.: 155,024

5/1970 McClellan 15/229 A [22] Filed:

Primary Examiner-Daniel Blum Related US. Application Data Attorney-Donnelly, Maky, Renner & Otto 1969, abandoned.

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1,162,396 161/144 14 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENTEDDBY 9mm 3.763.517

WEN 10? 2 THERO/V l M055 5%, M, flan/n2 k ATTORNEYS PATENTEDBBT 91m SHEET 2 BF 2 INVENTOR. THE RON l/. M055 ATTORNEYS MOP SWAB AND METHOD OF PRODUCING THE SAME CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation-in-part of United States application Ser. No. 856,674, of Theron V. Moss, filed Sept. 10, 1969, now abandoned.

This invention relates generally as indicated to a mop swab and method of making the same and more particularly to a mop swab utilizing strip material to secure the cords together at the midsection of the swab in a plurality of vertically extending, parallel rows substantially centrally of the length of the swab with the strip material positioned between the adjacent rows of cords and adhered thereto.

Mop swabs presently available generally comprise bundles of absorbent cords secured at the midsection by a fabric band, such as a closely woven 8 or 10 ounce cotton duck, stitched to the cords. The fabric band serves as a protective covering for the cords when the swab is connected to a handle, which is usually a clamp type holding device.

Mop swabs of this type have certain disadvantages in use due to the fabric band which is stitched to the cords or yarns. When the swab becomes soiled, it is necessary to clean it which is generally done by laundering. It has been found, however, that laundering tends to produce a swelling of the fabric band due to shrinkage of the band and the absorbent cords. After laundering and such swelling, it is somewhat difficult to dry completely the swab. Consequently, the fabric band, absorbent cords and stitching may mildew and begin to smell.

In addition to the foregoing disadvantages, the necessity of sewing the fabric band to the absorbent cords considerably complicates the manufacturing process, since a degree of skill is required to operate successfully sewing machines for this purpose.

To overcome the aforenoted disadvantages of previously known mop swabs, the mop swab illustrated and described in my copending application Ser. No. 757,863, filed Sept. 6, 1968, now abandoned, and entitled Mop Construction and Method of Making the Same was developed. In such swab, the previously used fabric band was replaced by a band of elastomeric material which surrounds the cords and is adhered thereto. Such swab, although an improvement over swabs utilizing the fabric band construction, is somewhat difficult to manufacture since it has been found that the elastomeric material will not easily penetrate the mop cords to the extent necessary. As a result, the cords can be pulled from the swab unless extreme care is taken in manufacturing to insure complete penetration of the elastomeric material.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved mop swab utilizing strip material to secure the mop cords at the midsection ofthe swab by positioning the strip material in and among the mop cords to retain the same securely within the swab.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a method for making such improved mop swab.

In one form of the invention, a strip of rubber or plastic material is placed on the top or bottom or both top and bottom of a plurality of rows of parallel laid cords midway between the ends thereof, after which the cords and strip material are folded or accordion pleated to form a plurality of vertically extending rows of cords with the strip material interfitting between adjacent rows and separating the same. The strip material may initially be loosely secured to the cords as by pressing or stitching the strip material thereto. Alternatively, a pressure sensitive adhesive coating may be applied to one or both sides of the strip material to initially secure the strip material to the cords and also to initially retain the cords in folded condition. A second strip of rubber or plastic material with or without a pressure sensitive adhesive coating on the inner side may also be wrapped around the periphery of the folded midsection if desired.

While it is preferred that the strip material be made of a suitable rubber or plastic material to avoid mildewing and to eliminate the necessity of having to sew the strip material to the mop cords, it will be apparent that a fabric strip may also be used to make a headband which is folded or accordion pleated to form a plurality of vertically extending rows of cords with strip material interfitted between adjacent rows of cords and separating the same in accordance with the present invention, but in that event, additional means such as a hot-melt glue or adhesive should be used to adhere the cords together in such folded condition. The hot-melt glue should desirably be applied as a coating to one or both sides of the strip material before placing the strip material on the cords and folding the assembly. Later when the strip material is heated, the hot-melt glue will flow into and around the mop cords causing them toadhere together and to the strip material folded between rows. Additional hot-melt adhesive may also be squirted or squeezed into the cords if desirable or necessary.

Other objects, features and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art after a reading of the following more detailed description.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description and the annexed drawings setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, these being indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principle of the invention may be employed.

In said annexed drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one form of mop swab made in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary section view through the mop headband of FIG. 1 taken on the line 22 thereof;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view illustrating one step in the method of making the mop swab of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section view illustrating another step in the manufacturing process;

FIG. 5 is a schematic view illustrating a further step in the manufacturing method;

FIG. 6 is a partial perspective view illustrating a mop swab connected to a handle;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary section view illustrating one step in the method of making a modified form of mop swab in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary transverse section view illustrating another step in the method of making such modified form of mop swab; and

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary transverse section view illustrating a step in the method of making still another form of mop swab made in accordance with this invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, a mop swab is represented generally by the numeral 1 in FIGS. 1 and 2 and comprises a plurality of absorbent mop cords 2 (the term cords" is used herein generically to include similar materials such as yarns, strands, etc.) which extend substantially parallel to one another. The cords are secured substantially centrally of the length of the swab by a band or strip 3 which surrounds the cords and is adhered thereto.

As shown more clearly in FIG. 2, the band or strip 3 is positioned in and among the mop cords 2 which are arranged in a plurality of vertically extending, parallel rows 4 with the strip material interfitted between the adjacent rows as shown at 5 thus separating such rows one from the other.

The strip material 3 is preferably a thin sheet of a suitable elastomeric material such as rubber or plastic, including Mylar or polyethylene, as for example approximately 0.0015 inches in thickness, and may be compounded with sulfur or other vulcanizing agents and/or any of the other usual additives such as accelerators, extenders, antioxidants, softeners, etc. Any plastic material may be used for the strip material which upon being heated to a sufficiently high temperature will flow in and around the mop cords and be adhered to the mop cords and to itself but will not be adversely affected by the temperatures which may be encountered as when the mop swab is laundered.

In FIGS. 3-5, one method of making the swab is illustrated. An assemblage of mop cords one or more layers thick may be supported on a conventional conveyor or other such device (not shown), and sewn at l l or otherwise loosely secured together, such as by an adhesive tape, at intervals along the length of the assemblage. The assemblage may then be cut to the length of swab desired, and a sheet of rubber 12 or other elastomeric material including plastic may be placed about the assemblage where the cords are secured together.

Alternatively, the sheet of elastomeric material may be placed about the assemblage of cords and sewed to the cords prior to pleating, or the sheet may be otherwise loosely secured to the cords as by pressing. Moreover, the cords may be laid in continuous parallel rows of the desired length and a strip of plastic or rubber tape 12 l to 6 inches in width, as desired, may be stitched on top of, underneath, or both on top and below the rows of parallel laid cords midway between the ends thereof and then cut to the desired width parallel to the cords. In still another form of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8, the plastic strip material 3' may be provided with a pressure sensitive adhesive coating 25 on one or both sides thereof to initially secure the strip material to the mop cords. The ends of the cords may be looped or cut. It is to be noted for purposes of clarity, the stitching is only shown adjacent the edges of the headband in FIGS. 2 and 4.

The cords and sheet of elastomeric material are then folded or accordion pleated midway of the cords, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 8, to form a bunched together midsection, desirably about six inches wide having the elastomeric strip of tape folded in between the rows of yarn as previously described to provide vertically extending rows of cords l3.

It will be appreciated that the sheet of elastomeric material extends in and among the cords as shown at 14 and 14 in FIGS. 4 and 8 across the entire width of the swab and thus serves to retain the cords securely within the elastomeric band. Of course, if the strip material were only applied to one side of the parallel rows of cords prior to folding, the strip material would not be between all of the rows of cords after folding. If the plastic strip material 3' has a pressure sensitive adhesive coating 25 on both sides, the pressure sensitive adhesive on the back side will also initially retain the strip material and cords in the desired folded condition as shown in FIG. 8. A second sheet or strip 19 or 19' of elastomeric material 1 to 6 inches wide may also be wrapped around the folded midsection if desired, to make the head of the mop with or without a pressure sensitive adhesive coating 25 on the inner surface thereof to initially secure the second sheet in place. The head is then placed in a heated press and formed and vulcanized into a proper head piece for a mop handle to be fitted to it.

As shown in FIG. 5, the assemblage of cords with the elastomeric sheet in the pleated arrangement is positioned on a support 15 such as a table. Heat is then applied by heating apparatus 16 which includes heating elements 17 and 18 positioned on opposite sides of the assemblage to provide a uniform application of heat to cause the elastomeric material to flow and to be adhered to the absorbent cords and to itself.

The heat treatment will be a vulcanization process when the elastomeric material is a rubber, as is well known by those skilled in the rubber industry. In general, such process involves oxidation of the rubber, which has been compounded with sulfur or other vulcanizing agents, when heated to a temperature of from about to about C. The heating produces a gradual change in the rubber from a tacky, plastic material to a non-tacky, elastic product.

As shown in FIG. 2, when heat has been applied to the elastomeric material, it flows and the adjacent folds or pleats, denoted generally by numerals 20, 21, are united and the adjacent portions 22, 23 of the rubber or plastic sheet are likewise united as shown at 24. The sole purpose of the pressure sensitive adhesive coating 25 on the plastic strip material 3' of the FIGS. 7 and 8 embodiment is to initially secure the strip material to the cords and retain the cords in the desired folded condition prior to the application of heat and pressure which causes the plastic material to flow and to be adhered to the cords and to itself similar to FIG. 2.

Although it is preferred that the strip material be made of a suitable rubber or plastic material to avoid mildewing and also avoid having to sew the fabric material to the cords to form the final desired headband, it will be apparent that a fabric strip material 26 may also be used to make a mop swab in accordance with this invention which is folded or accordion pleated to form a plurality of vertically extending rows of cords with the strip material 26 interfitted between adjacent rows of cords and separating the same as shown in FIG. 9, but in that event additional means such as a hot-melt glue or adhesive is required to adhere the cords together and to the strip material in such folded condition. In FIG. 9, the strip material 26 is shown as having a heavy coating 28 of a suitable hot-melt glue on the inner side of the strip and a lighter coating 28' of hotmelt glue on the outer side. After the strip material 26 has been placed on the mop cords and the mop cords and strip material have been folded in the manner previously described, the assembly is heated to cause the hot-melt adhesive to flow in and around the mop cords causing the mop cords and strip material to be adhered together. An additional strip 19" of plastic, rubber, or fabric may be wrapped around the periphery of the folded midsection prior to heating, and additional hotmelt adhesive may also be squirted or squeezed into the head-band if desired. Of course, the hot-melt adhesive like the plastic or rubber strip material must have a high enough melting point that it will not be adversely affected by the heat encountered during normal use and when the mop is laundered.

In FIG. 6, the swab l is shown connected to a handle 30 by a clamp type holder 31. In this embodiment, means 32 are shown, in the form of a relatively narrow tape, adjacent the end of the swab to secure the end portions of the cords together. To obtain the maximum benefits of the swabs of this invention, the cords will preferably be arranged in substantially a single layer thickness adjacent the ends of the swab, as described in my previously issued US. Pat. No. 3,011,198. An adhesive tape may also be used underlying the fabric tape, as described in my US. Pat. No. 3,115,658.

Many materials are suitable for use as the absorbent cords of this invention, including rayon yarn or cord, blends of rayon and cotton or rayon, cotton and nylon. Bleached hemp yarn or cord blended with a small percentage of braided nylon, or other synthetic plastic strands currently available such as orlon and dacron, may also be used, or alternatively, cotton cord may be utilized.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

l. A mop swab comprising a plurality of absorbent cords and means securing said cords substantially centrally of the length thereof, said means securing said cords comprising strip material surrounding said cords and adhered thereto, said cords in the substantially central portion thereof being arranged in a plurality of parallel rows with said strip material interfitted between plural adjacent rows of cords and separating the same, said cords being adhered together and to said strip material, said cords being loosely secured together substantially centrally of the length thereof by stitching underlying said strip material.

'2. A mop swab comprising a plurality of absorbent cords and means securing said cords substantially centrally of the length thereof, said means securing said cords comprising strip material surrounding said cords and adhered thereto, said cords in the substantially central portion thereof being arranged in a plurality of parallel rows with said strip material interfitted between plural adjacent rows of cords and separating the same, said cords being ahdered together and to said strip material, said strip material being a fabric having a hot-melt adhesive coating on the side engaging said cords, said hot-melt adhesive coating surrounding said cords and adhered thereto and to said fabric strip material.

3. The mop swab of claim 2 wherein there is a hotmelt adhesive coating on both sides of the strip material.

4. A mop swab comprising a plurality of absorbent cords, and means securing said cords together substantially centrally of the length thereof, said cords substantially centrally of the length thereof being arranged in a plurality of parallel rows, and said means securing said cords together comprising a sheet of elastomeric material folded between a plurality of adjacent rows of said cords and adhered thereto.

5. A method of making a mop swab comprising the steps of applying strip material to one side of an assemblage of mop cords substantially centrally of the length thereof, pleating such assemblage and strip material to form a plurality of parallel rows of cords across the width of the assemblage with such strip material interfitted between a plurality of adjacent rows of cords and separating the same, and causing such cords to be adhered together and to such strip material.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein such strip material is a rubber which is heated to a temperaure within the range of about 1 10 to about C. to cause the rubber to flow and to be adhered to such cords.

7. The method of claim 5 further comprising the step of loosely securing the assemblage of mop cords together substantially centrally of the length thereof prior to the pleating step.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the assemblage of mop cords is loosely secured together by a pressure sensitive adhesive coating on the strip material.

9. The method of claim 5 wherein the strip material is applied to both sides of the assemblage whereby when the assemblage and strip material are pleated as aforesaid, the strip material is folded between all of the adjacent rows of cords.

10. The method of claim 5 wherein the strip material is a plastic material which is heated to cause the plastic material to flow and to be adhered to such cords.

Ill. The method of claim 5 further comprising the step of wrapping another strip material around the pleated assemblage prior to causing the cords and strip material to be adhered together.

12. The method of claim 5 wherein the strip material is a fabric having a hot-melt adhesive coating on the side engaging the cords which is heated after pleating to cause the hot-melt adhesive to flow and to be adhered to such cords and to the strip material.

113. The mop swab of claim 4 further comprising strip material wrapped around the periphery of the parallel rows of cords and said sheet of elastomeric material interfitted therebetween, said strip material being adhered to said sheet of elastomeric material.

14. The mop swab of claim 4 wherein said sheet of elastomeric material is folded between all of said adjacent rows of cords and adhered thereto. 

1. A mop swab comprising a plurality of absorbent cords and means securing said cords substantially centrally of the length thereof, said means securing said cords comprising strip material surrounding said cords and adhered thereto, said cords in the substantially central portion thereof being arranged in a plurality of parallel rows with said strip material interfitted between plural adjacent rows of cords and separating the same, said cords being adhered together and to said strip material, said cords being loosely secured together substantially centrally of the length thereof by stitching underlying said strip material.
 2. A mop swab comprising a plurality of absorbent cords and means securing said cords substantially centrally of the length thereof, said means securing said cords comprising strip material surrounding said cords and adhered thereto, said cords in the substantially central portion thereof being arranged in a plurality of parallel rows with said strip material interfitted between plural adjacent rows of cords and separating the same, said cords being adhered together and to said strip material, said strip material being a fabric having a hot-melt adhesive coating on the side engaging said cords, said hot-melt adhesive coating surrounding said cords and adhered thereto and to said fabric strip material.
 3. The mop swab of claim 2 wherein there is a hot-melt adhesive coating on both sides of the strip material.
 4. A mop swab comprising a plurality of absorbent cords, and means securing said cords together substantially centrally of the length thereof, said cords substantially centrally of the length thereof being arranged in a plurality of parallel rows, and said means securing said cords together comprising a sheet of elastomeric material folded between a plurality of adjacent rows of said cords and adhered thereto.
 5. A method of making a mop swab comprising the steps of applying strip material to one side of an assemblage of mop cords substantially centrally of the length thereof, pleating such assemblage and strip material to form a plurality of parallel rows of cords across the width of the assemblage with such strip material interfitted between a plurality of adjacent rows of cords and separating the same, and causing such cords to be adhered together and to such strip material.
 6. The method of claim 5 wherein such strip material is a rubber which is heated to a temperature within the range of about 110* to about 140* C. to cause the rubber to flow and to be adhered to such cords.
 7. The method of claim 5 further comprising the step of loosely securing the assemblage of mop cords together substantially centrally of the length thereof prior to the pleating step.
 8. The method of claim 7 wherein the assemblage of mop cords is loosely secured together by a pressure sensitive adhesive coating on the strip material.
 9. The method of claim 5 wherein the strip material is applied to both sides of the assemblage whereby when the assemblage and strip material are pleated as aforesaid, the strip material is folded between all of the adjacent rows of cords.
 10. The method of claim 5 wherein the strip material is a plastic material which is heated to cause the plastic material to flow and to be adhered to such cords.
 11. The method of claim 5 further comprising the step of wrapping another strip material around the pleated assEmblage prior to causing the cords and strip material to be adhered together.
 12. The method of claim 5 wherein the strip material is a fabric having a hot-melt adhesive coating on the side engaging the cords which is heated after pleating to cause the hot-melt adhesive to flow and to be adhered to such cords and to the strip material.
 13. The mop swab of claim 4 further comprising strip material wrapped around the periphery of the parallel rows of cords and said sheet of elastomeric material interfitted therebetween, said strip material being adhered to said sheet of elastomeric material.
 14. The mop swab of claim 4 wherein said sheet of elastomeric material is folded between all of said adjacent rows of cords and adhered thereto. 